Barcelona faced a significant setback in La Liga as they suffered a 4-2 defeat against table-topping Girona, prompting manager Xavi to admit that his team is striving to emulate Girona's playing style. Despite Robert Lewandowski and Ilkay Gundogan finding the net for Barcelona, their defensive vulnerabilities were ruthlessly exploited by Girona.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Xavi acknowledged the match's evenness, emphasizing that details played a crucial role in the outcome. He expressed disappointment in Barcelona's lack of effectiveness, coupled with defensive errors that proved costly. Despite the challenging result, Xavi noted that the desperate finale could have seen the scoreline level at 3-3.
Xavi commended Girona for their outstanding performance and their style of play, stating that it aligns with what Barcelona is striving to achieve. Girona's seven-point lead over Barcelona in the standings reflects their commendable efforts.
The match exposed shortcomings in Barca's defensive and offensive departments, with Jules Kounde's struggles at right-back contributing to Girona's second and third goals. Lewandowski, despite scoring Barcelona's opening goal, had a subdued impact on the overall game.
Barcelona's defensive record, crucial to their title triumph last season, has faltered in the current campaign, conceding 18 goals compared to the previous season's 20 in 38 matches.
With Girona leading by seven points and Real Madrid holding a five-point advantage over Barcelona, Xavi's team faces a challenging climb. Their upcoming fixtures include a Champions League clash against Antwerp and a La Liga encounter with Valencia, demanding a resilient response from the Catalan club.
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